EU's Borrell warns of Israel's 'clear will' to annex West Bank 'little by little'

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The EU foreign policy chief said on Monday that Israel seems to have a "clear will" to annex the occupied West Bank "little by little," warning that this "certainly" will not lead to peace.

"There seems to be a clear will to annex the West Bank, little by little, bit by bit; there seems to be that will and that's certainly not going to lead to peace," Josep Borrell said at a press conference following the bloc's Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.

Reminding that a cease-fire has not been reached in Gaza despite three weeks have passed since the proposal, supported by the international community, he said: "We are nowhere in terms of a cease-fire."

He went on to say that a recent press conference by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed clearly that neither sides are willing to implement this proposal.

In response to a question whether the war will last long, Borrell said: "It seems so, unfortunately, it is a war that is going to test the survival of Palestinians in Gaza."

"All member states reiterated their support to UNRWA (UN agency for Palestinian refugees) which is being considered ... a life-saving service for the Palestinian refugees in Gaza, West Bank, and the region," added Borrell.